Page 26 of No Ordinary Lady

He smiled and then glanced down at her fingers. “About that. You must know. That is to say…I am overjoyed to see you…”

“Danny, I’m certain your mother would not be pleased to learn you’ve a lightskirt hiding in your room on your first night back,” his granny chided as she slipped into the room, even while grinning from ear to ear. “Thankfully, I’ve arrived in the nick of time.”

Marian glanced around him at the old woman. “You signaled for me to flee upstairs.”

Danny gaped. “She did what? Why?”

“Yes. Indeed, I did,” Granny said to him. “I commend her ability to take direction, for I wish to speak with the young lady on a matter of great urgency.”

“What could you possibly have to say to my…my…friend?”

Granny pointed at her. “I wanted by what right she wears your promise ring when you had vowed to only give it to a woman you loved.”

“I promised to give it to the woman I married, Granny,” Danny corrected. “And Marian has it without permission.”

“Looks to me like she is loath to give it back, too,” the old woman said, grinning from ear to ear again.

Marian glanced down—and cursed out loud as she discovered the ring was back on her finger yet again.

Danny grabbed her hand. “Give me that,” he demanded.

“I told you, it keeps appearing on my finger,” Marian said, so furious with herself and the ring that she slapped it onto his palm.

The moment their skin touched; a shock of remembrance flooded her senses. His warmth, gentleness, and kindness. His unique scent made her shiver, too. The wonderful evening before, when he’d held her in his arms, was the best night of her life. She hadn’t wanted it to end, but he’d been a man of high morals…even if he had snuck away at dawn without a word of goodbye.

It was inappropriate to wish he’d been otherwise, given his granny was in the room and he planned to marry. But Marian’s instinct to throw herself into his arms had returned with a vengeance.

She quashed the thought of doing just that. She did not belong here with him.

Danny turned to look over his shoulder at Granny, but he kept a gentle hold of her hand. “Granny, I thought you were resting.”

“Who needs rest when things are finally getting interesting around here?” She pulled up a chair and sat, eyes alight, as if they were performing for her benefit. “Tell me where you two met?”

Danny shook his head. “I don’t know this woman.”

Marian winced at the claim and wrenched her hand free of his grip. The ring was still in her possession, and she threw it back at him. Unfortunately, it bounced off his chest, and she caught it in midair.

“Patience, my dear,” the old lady said, patting a nearby chair. She turned to Danny. “My dear boy, when will you learn it’s impossible to hide anything from me? I am a master at spotting a secret liaison. You two have indulged in an affair recently.”

Since the question was asked of Danny, Marian was spared the need to answer the old woman herself because she was curious about how Danny would explain their association. Not that she was ashamed of herself or filled with regret about spending a night sleeping in his arms. Nothing of any great import had happened. Just a passionate kiss and a sharing of confidences during the night.

Marian was a woman with honest desires, and Danny was a man she’d found highly attractive.

Danny, though, was not at all forthcoming about how they met and after watching him stutter and make no sense, she turned to the old lady. “How are you feeling now?”

“Vexed,” Granny said, but then she smiled brightly. “He’s not always so slow, but he’ll catch on soon enough. The promise ring looks like it was made for your finger.”

Marian held up her hand, which now had the ring on it gain. She sighed. “It’s the prettiest ring ever.”

“Sh… She. I gave her…her to…to…” Danny stammered out through clenched teeth as he stared at her and the ring on her finger.

“My young friend took it from him first,” Marian said.

“So, which is the truth?” Granny asked, looking at them with a slight smile. “Given or stolen?”

“I want to return it.” Marian yanked the ring off her finger at last and held it out to the old woman. “Please take it from me.”

“With pleasure, my dear,” Granny promised, and Marian pried her fingers apart so it fell into the old lady’s palm.